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User blog:GeoFruck/Mobile games: 1st Generation
Hi all, the first thing that I would like to start a discussion about here is the current generation of mobile games. I'm calling this the 1st generation, because the iPod was introduced in 2006, and we are currently only 6 years past that. I do think that there may be better ways to divide the evolution of mobile games, so that topic is welcome for discusion here. As for the reason I originally started writing this, I want to talk about the games currently being introduced. I personally find the current offerings extremely lacking. There are very few F2P (free-to-play, or freemium) games on the market that are worth a salt, imho. I mean, I could be specific to certain games, but there are really just general and basic features in mobile games that remind me of when PC games were first being introduced. Some games are just bad, period, no redeeming qualities at all. Some games, on the opposite end of the spectrum, have at least tried, and have many redeeming qualities, but still fall short on the gaming experience as a whole. Now one of the things to get out of the way really quick is that I am a gaming connoisseur. Some may call me a gaming snob, but that's OK, I just turn my nose up at those people ;) Anyway, I believe that a real game is something that has the following: A FULL storyline, including unique characters, quests, tutorials, etc. Not just a few cut-scenes every once in a while, something that makes you identify with the game and helps you suspend your disbelief. Good graphics. I mean really...decent graphics have been around for decades, on computers and consoles with only a fraction of the computing power of today's mobile devices. Some of the games coming out now are just painful to look at. An intuitive UI (User Interface). Again, we've already done this folks, UIs in games have been around for a while, there really is no need to re-invent the wheel just because the device is new, games are not. Steady game progression and sense of accomplishment. This again seems to be a natural thing to have, since we've seen plenty of examples of games that have this element. Sure, be unique, but there really isn't much need to re-invent this concept or accomplish it. Yet many of the games currently offered do. An elder game. This is a concept that many gamers know already, even if they don't recognize this term. The elder game refers to the end of the game. A lot of games use some type of leveling sytem, based on experience, which means that there will be a final level (cap). Most of the developers of the current mobile games seem to just stop. "Oh, you made it to the max, uhm, sorry, game over :/ ". Really? Really?!? Game over was like back in the pac man days. Why would you just dismiss your audience after they reach the max level? At the very least the game should allow you to start playing over again with a harder difficulty. Something, omg devs, what are you thinking? Customization. Another tried and true element to many different genres of games. There should be at least ONE way to customize a game. I mean, you can put your name on an angry bird can't you? I don't know much about that game, except that is very, very popular, but if you can't name a bird, you should be able to. Other kinds of game could offer many different levels and types of customization, but it is another quality that is barely present. There are probably a few other elements that should be added to this list, and if you can think of some, please comment and I will add them. In any case, I think this is a good place to start. Feel free to add a game, or a list of games, and show what elements they posess, need more work on, or are just totally wtf. There are also more casual games that obviously don't need all of these elements, but may specialize in just one or two, so feel free to discuss those as well. Category:Blog posts